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“When did you get introduced? Was it when you went out last weekend, when you said you had an appointment, like Seol-young said?”
It seemed that Sena’s short outings, as someone who usually stayed at home, were events for everyone.
“Yes.”
“But you’ve already decided to get married? Did your father pressure you to get married?”
“It’s not like that.”
“What do you mean it’s not?”
Her aunt’s eyes welled up with tears, filled with resentment. She was the type to burst into tears when her anger reached its peak.
“That man never looked for you even once after your mother left the house. He only called once after you were forced out of the house, that man.”
“Aunt…”
“That kind of person comes to find you, introduces you to a man, and you’re getting married right away.”
“It’s okay, Aunt. He’s a good person. It’s not a marriage I’m doing just because my father told me to. I’m doing it because he seems like a really good person.”
Sena poured out words to reassure her agitated aunt somehow.
Of course, neither her aunt, who had burst into tears, nor her uncle, who was calmly observing the situation, seemed to believe her words.
Her aunt’s crying grew louder. She began to pour out her pent-up resentment, starting with what had happened to Sena’s mother in the past.
“I’ll introduce him as soon as possible. Once you and Uncle meet him, you’ll change your minds.”
Sena spoke with confidence that she didn’t know where it came from.
She had no reason to be so confident about Joo-hyuk. Still, she couldn’t ignore the reason she had felt attracted to him after only two meetings.
“I really don’t understand why you’re trying to get married. Why are you, of all people, trying to marry someone you don’t even love?”
“I don’t know men well enough to get married based on love alone.”
Sena said with a sad smile.
“And I’m not the type to meet someone and have a love marriage.”
“But…”
“He’s a really good person. I would never have even thought about marriage if he wasn’t.”
At her continued persuasion, her aunt roughly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.
“Bring him here. I’ll see him and judge for myself.”
“Yes, bring him. We need to know who the person you’re marrying is.”
Her uncle chimed in from the side.
“Yes. I’ll make an appointment and tell you right away.”
Feeling that the situation had calmed down for the time being, Sena got up and went into her room.
She regretted asking Joo-hyuk about the need to introduce each other to family and friends just a few hours ago.
She called him, both to say hello and to check if he had gotten home safely.
[This is Choi Joo-hyuk.]
“This is Kang Sena.”
[Ah, Ms. Sena.]
“I was calling to see if you got home safely.”
[I’m still driving.]
Joo-hyuk’s voice echoed, as if he was talking on Bluetooth.
“I didn’t even ask where you live. Is it far from here?”
[Well, I live in Seoul, after all.]
“Then you drove a long way for nothing today.”
Sena’s voice rose in embarrassment.
Even though they had met in Seoul, he had come all the way to Incheon to drop her off and was now driving back. No matter how she thought about it, Sena felt like she had been rude.
“You don’t have to drop me off next time.”
[It’s okay.]
“I’m not okay with it.”
[There’s no need to worry. I have a car, so I gave you a ride.]
“But.”
[We’ll be married soon, so there won’t be many more times to drop you off. It’s okay.]
Joo-hyuk’s stubbornness didn’t give way easily.
As he said, they would be married in just three months, and she thought about how many more times he would drop her off until then, so she closed her mouth.
“Thank you.”
[Get some rest.]
“Ah, wait…”
Sena, who had almost forgotten the reason she called him, hurriedly called out to Joo-hyuk.
[Yes?]
“I have a favor to ask.”
[A favor?]
“I’d like you to meet my aunt’s family one day.”
[Your aunt’s… family?]
It must seem strange.
Asking him to meet her aunt’s family, who she lived with, instead of her parents. By now, he might be curious as to why she lived with her aunt.
“They’re like parents to me.”
[I understand.]
As if a long explanation wasn’t necessary, Joo-hyuk readily answered Sena’s request.
[Let me know after discussing with your aunt what day would be good.]
“Thank you.”
[Ah, I’m sorry, but.]
“Yes?”
At his sudden words, she tensed up for a moment.
Was he perhaps going to say that he had reconsidered and that this marriage wasn’t right after all? Was he bothered by her ambiguous background?
But her fleeting worries were unfounded.
[Because of the KMS launch, I might not be able to make time on weekdays. So, I’d appreciate it if it could be on a weekend if possible.]
“Yes, I will.”
[I’m looking forward to it.]
Before finally hanging up, his clear laughter echoed from the other end of the line.
Was it because they were talking on Bluetooth?
That laughter created a strong wave in Sena’s heart.
“What’s all this commotion?”
Suddenly, the door burst open and Hae-na appeared.
“You startled me, Unnie.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Hae-na apologized, having forgotten the unspoken rule of knocking in this house due to her urgent state of mind, despite knowing that Sena startled easily.
“I was so shocked because of Mom. By the way, you’re getting married?”
“Huh?”
“Mom was crying, then getting angry, then crying again, and she kept saying you were getting married. Is it true?”
Her small eyes, resembling her uncle’s, were wide open, as if they could open no further.
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
Hae-na literally jumped up to the ceiling.
“To whom?”
“Someone my father introduced me to.”
“Father? Whose father?”
“Unnie…”
“You don’t mean your father, do you? The one who hasn’t contacted you in over 10 years?”
Receiving the same reaction as her aunt’s, Sena gave a weak smile.
Like mother, like daughter.
“Are you laughing right now?”
“There’s no need to be so surprised.”
“Who is it? Why are you being told to marry that person?”
She already had a prepared answer for how to explain it.
She couldn’t tell them that her father’s defense business was struggling and that he had asked Joo-hyuk’s father for lobbying with high-ranking officials and had even borrowed money. And she certainly couldn’t tell them that she was being married off as collateral.
“You know KMS, Unnie, right?”
“Korea Morning Standard? The one that’s making a fuss about launching a broadcasting station these days? What about them?”
“The man I’m going to marry is the CEO of KMS.”
“…What?”
“The CEO of Korea Morning Standard is the man I’m going to marry.”
“…Mom! Mom, Mom!”
Hae-na, having learned that Sena’s fiancé was Choi Joo-hyuk, ran out into the living room.
“Mom, the man Sena is marrying is the CEO of KMS!”
“What’s KMS?”
“You know, that newspaper that’s been in the news every day lately for starting a new broadcasting station.”
Looking frustrated, Hae-na waved her hands, trying to explain.
“Are you talking about that young man? The youngest media company CEO?”
“Yes, Dad. That’s right, that person! Choi Joo-hyuk, right?”
Hae-na turned her head and asked Sena for confirmation as she stared blankly at the three of them.
Sena nodded with a smile on her face.
“How does your father know that person?”
Sena, who thought she could get away with it like this, froze at her aunt’s question.
“How does your father know someone like that?”
“It seems he knows Joo-hyuk’s father. Joo-hyuk said he came through his father too.”
“Hmm.”
As if she still had some unresolved questions, her aunt crossed her arms and pondered deeply.
“From what I saw on the news, he’s handsome, tall, and a very respectable person as a journalist? That’s good, huh? Your father did something good for once, as a father should.”
Her uncle said with a big smile.
“Has it become time for him to die? Or is he going to church or something? It’s not easy to turn over a new leaf.”
“Park Hae-na.”
“No, but it’s true. A person who hasn’t even been curious about how his daughter is living for over 10 years suddenly brings such a good marriage opportunity.”
Hae-na pouted and defended her aunt to her uncle.
“That’s true. Anyway, it’s fortunate, right?”
“Yes. It’s fortunate that he’s not some weird bum.”
Hae-na and her uncle nodded.
Her aunt still looked at Sena with a suspicious face.
“I just talked to Joo-hyuk, and he suggested meeting on the weekend. He’s busy with work on weekdays and doesn’t have time.”
“Should we meet on Saturday? Honey, what do you think?”
Her uncle asked her aunt with a big smile.
“The sooner the better. I can tell right away if he’s just good-looking or genuinely a good person once I meet him. I have eyes that have been trained through business.”
Her aunt opened her eyes wide and spoke sternly to Sena.
It seemed Choi Joo-hyuk would have to prepare thoroughly.
Sena internally imagined Joo-hyuk being flustered meeting her aunt, but she quickly stopped.
No matter how much she used her imagination, she could only picture him confidently leading the atmosphere in front of her aunt. It felt so natural that it seemed obvious.
He was that kind of person.
As Sena got out of the taxi and looked up at the tall building, a deep shadow fell over her face.
「Come to the 81st-floor restaurant and give my name.」
After receiving a message from Joo-hyuk in the morning, she had found out in advance how amazing this restaurant was.
She felt upset imagining her aunt and uncle looking bewildered by the many forks and knives at the fancy restaurant.
She should have asked beforehand if they could go to a Korean restaurant. But it was too late to regret it.
Her aunt and uncle, dressed up nicely and looking very excited, and Hae-na, stood next to Sena, similarly looking up at the building.
“Thanks to Sena, we get to come to a place like this.”
“What floor is the restaurant on?”
“He said the 81st floor.”
Her aunt and uncle nodded their heads exaggeratedly, like people sightseeing in Seoul.
“Ugh, I’m so embarrassed.”
Hae-na muttered and put her arms around both of them.
“Come on, let’s go up. Choi Joo-hyuk will already be there waiting. What are you doing, Sena? Lead the way.”
“Huh? Oh.”
Sena, with a smile that looked unnatural and slightly tearful, took the lead.
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